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The Grand Adventure
  • Helene Rimberg
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  • Helene Rimberg

The Grand Adventure

A bike trip with no end Read more
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  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Trees

    April 30, 2024 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Start the day with a nice soak. Pools are much fuller and quite steamy. 18 miles and 2000 foot drop in elevation later, and we are in a city of sorts. Make our way to nice market and stock up on produce. Rest of the ride is a bit windy. Lots of trees on the surrounding mountains! Check into very cheap hospedaje.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Up and over

    April 29, 2024 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    After a quick backtrack for coffee and breakfast begin our scent to 14,200 feet. Fortunately the grade is gentle and not that bothered by altitude today. Mountains surrounding us are very green and lush with only a bit of snow on a few peaks. Make it to the top and cruise down to Agua Calientes. Enjoy some very toasty pools.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    The hills are getting bigger

    April 28, 2024 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Struggle to find groceries or even a coffee/breakfast place open. Seems Peruvians eat what we would consider dinner for breakfast. Manage to find something and off we go. Short day and relatively flat but feel sluggish and struggle with altitude. Stop at a dairy ‘factory’ and get yummy yogurt. Pick up groceries as best as we can as towns are getting smaller and further apart. Attempt to check in to an agroturismo spot but not open on Sundays. Check into nearby. hospedajeRead more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Alongthe Rio Yavi

    April 27, 2024 in Peru ⋅ 🌙 6 °C

    Very cold night and morning. Everything was frosted over until the sun rose. Relatively easy and flat ride along the Rio Yavi. Stopped in Pukara for lunch - home of many ceramic bulls. As we continue north, mountains around us get taller. Stop in Ayavari and check into hotel.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Adios Lake Titicaca

    April 26, 2024 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Tough morning of gravel riding and pushing as we climb above Lake Titicaca. Beautiful views were our reward. Enjoy smooth pavement after that. Lose a bunch of time in the chaos of Juliaca. Finally clear the hectic city and make it to our camping spot, hidden in a trough by a lake. Very cold night.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Through Puno

    April 25, 2024 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Opt for a short day to allow for some errands in Puno. First check out nearby Inca ruins (and friends). Wander in the largest supermarket that we have been in since Antofagasta. Take showers and head along coastal road I search of camp spot. Miss a turn but set up in a relatively sheltered area. Man comes by and not particularly pleased with our presence but mellows once he realizes we are on bikes.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Another fertile valley

    April 24, 2024 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Enjoy flat riding, except for the one spike up. Domestic animals abound! Agricultural lifestyle la seem to be the norm. Pass through fun village squares with intersesting topiaries. Camp at a lovely hilltop village where we actually sleep in a foyer.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Hola Peru

    April 23, 2024 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Catch an early bus heading to Peru. After we cross the border we make our departure and head off on our bikes. Make our way along Lake Tititica. Find a relatively secluded place to camp by the lake.

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Bus to La Paz

    April 22, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Navigate the busy streets to get to the bus terminal. Easy roll on of bikes and off we went. Hit the outskirts of La Paz and slow to a crawl. Huge city shaped like a bowl with a 1500 ft difference between top and bottom. Finally arrive and find a hostel 5 minutes away from terminal. Buy our tickets to the Peru border and go explore. Very hilly city. Learn all about Coca in a tiny little museum. Out for very nice dinner - finally!Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Oruro

    April 21, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Layover day to take care of a few things. Very successful in getting the things we need. Wander the city and see surprised by the greenery and nice parks. Walk by a tribute to Carnaval- a big event around here. Make our own nice chicken and veggie dinner.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    1

    Expect the unexpected

    April 20, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Manage a decent start even with a tire change. Though originally intended to stay on main road, decide to venture on the Antigua Camino Machacamarca. On the map it appears to be a land bridge that parallels the train tracks and crossed Lago Uru Uru. A few fun trestle bridges , but decent gravel road brings us to the lake. Unfortunately, the lake is high and we can see water over the crossing. Turn around and go across the flats trying to move in the right direction storm clouds around us and even a big boom of thunder keeps us moving quickly. Hit the main road and make our way to the big city of Oruro. Check into our tiny apartment on the 6th floor (no lift). Out for a mediocre vegetarian ‘Indian’ dinner. Make our way through madhouse of street market.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Poopó

    April 19, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Though a short day planned, more tire issues cause a very late start. Road becomes busier with less consistent shoulders. Llamas and vicuñas give way to tall cows and sheep. A rather fertile valley. Make it to town of Poopó (still haven’t really seen the lake). No food options besides roasted or fried chicken - so make our own. Not doing so well on the food front in Bolivia.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Challapata along Lago Poopó

    April 18, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Another long day planned but flat terrain suggests a quick ride. Sadly, another flat tire slows us down. Nice jardines de piernas (rock gardens) and lots of llamas make for cool scenery. Make it to Challapata before dark. Another dinner of chicken and lots of starch.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg
    1

    Quinoa and greenery

    April 17, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ 🌙 8 °C

    After a dose of kitten cuddles, set off in search of a car wash to rid our bikes of the salt. Unfortunately there was no one at the only one in town. Head north and truly begin our trek to Peru. Nicely paved road and minimal wind made for some of the easiest riding we have had in awhile. Stark whites and browns give way to red rocks and greenery. Lots of quinoa plants growing and being harvested. Make it to Rio Mulato and check into cheap and somewhat sketchy hotel.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Salar de Uyuni

    April 16, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Finally take our leave of Uyuni and head north into the wind. Short ride to the entrance of the Salar. Check into our salt hostel and then set out on bikes onto the Salar. Edge is pretty swamped so opt to rent Welly boots. Plod across the water and mush until we hit the drier salt surface. The salt flat is huge! Crunch along amongst the tour jeeps. Stop for a picnic and take the required naked photos with bikes. Ride out to a hotel and then back as the sun sets. The mirror effect on the water is incredible. Great night sleep on our salt bed.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Rest

    April 15, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ 🌬 7 °C

    Stomach issues caught up with me after plaguing Doug yesterday. Slept for a good part of the day. Ventured out for a bit in the blustery sunshine. Nice vegetarian dinner at Llama Cafe.

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    A wild jeep ride

    April 13, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    Knowing our limits, we opted to catch a ride to jump passed the sandy, rocky ripio. Our gear went inside the jeep and our bikes on top and off we went. And unexpectedly, we went along the lagunas - a route we never would have taken. Beautiful scenery - snow covered volcanoes on both sides, beautiful lakes with flamingos, herds of vicuñas and llamas. And the “road” went straight through the desert. (Sadly no pictures). Quite the ride and we made it safely to Uyani.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    The roads deteriorates

    April 12, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ ☀️ 4 °C

    Wake up nice and cozy but head out to watch sunrise over the geysers. Beautiful sight - even with the early morning tourists. Slowly pack up and head out of the geyser basin. Mechanical issues slow us down and the road turns to washboard and sand. Very difficult riding - and so we push. Slowly cover the 25k back down to 14.5k and a tiny town by Laguna Colorado. Check into the hostel and have a blazing hot shower and nice pasta dinner.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    Onto the “geezers”

    April 10, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ 🌬 9 °C

    Morning sunrise over the laguna as the tour jeeps pour in. Decide to go the harder route so that we can sleep in the geysers (or geezers as our Brit friends call them). Relatively easy start and then we climb - heading to 16k feet. Winds kick up and it gets chilly. Fun factor drops significantly. Make it, barely, to geysers. Set up and collapse. Warm floor of the tent keeps us inside as the temperature drops. Wind dies down and listen to geysers blowing and mud pots bubbling.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    To the thermal springs

    April 9, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    Wake to find out water bottles frozen solid. Manage to thaw in the sun. Spy two cyclists- first in quite awhile. Meet Sam and Kate - a Brit couple heading our way. Pack up and find our way back to main “road”. Very dusty but relatively easy dirt road. Her passed by many jeeps porting tourists along the lagunas and volcanos. Reach 15.6k and cruise down again to Laguna Chalviri. Check into hostel and head for thermal bath. Kate and Sam have beaten us there.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    BOLIVIA

    April 8, 2024 in Bolivia ⋅ 🌬 10 °C

    Beautiful but cold morning. Steep start means we warm up by walking. Altitude is a real thing. Slowly make it to 15.1k, our 2nd drop and the border. Very chilly eventhough very sunny. Breeze through Chilean side and bump down 5 km to Bolivian border. Have to buy our visas which take quite q bit of time. Enter Bolivia and head around lake toward our camping destination. Flat tire slows us down and we finish the ride in the dark. Set up inside an abandoned building. Sleep back down to 14.4k feet.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    The climb begins

    April 7, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Pack up and leave the lovely town of San Pedro behind as we head into a wall - the Andes. Our route looms ahead as we have an easy flat start. Climb and climb and climb - reaching 12,800 feet. Find our 1st food and water drop. Watch sunset and crawl into tent. Late night fight with a zorro/desert fox.Read more

  • Helene RimbergThe Grand AdventureHelene Rimberg

    More canyons

    April 6, 2024 in Chile ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Though the day didn’t quite go as planned managed to set ourselves up for our climb and enjoy a walkabout. Doug took a taxi to leave 2 water and food drops for our 7500 ft ascent. We then wandered around narrow canyons and sandstone dunes. Nice dinner outRead more